Cover Image: Born Killers?

Born Killers?

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

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'Born Killers' by Kris Mohandie is a gripping non fiction book.

Dr Kris Mohandie covers his 30 year career in police and forensic psychology.

Throughout the book the author considers cases he has been involved in and discusses the psychology around them and the case.

This is a fascinating and well written book that makes you want to read on and is very interesting.

This is recommended for true crime and psychology fans and is not a read for the light hearted.

Thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley in allowing me to read in return for a review.

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead.

I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings.

Anything requested and approved will be read and a decent quality review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

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Unfortunately this book just simply wasn’t for me, found it quite hard to get into. I will probably stick to true crime podcasts going forwards. Might have been better for me personally as an audio book

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Had been looking forward to reading this book. Sadly it wasn’t for me. It just lacked a good plot to get you excited and wanting more. It was very slow paced and never picked up

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Such an interesting read, I love books like this!

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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Very interesting and enlightening book, easy to read and makes you think. Very well written, highly recommend.

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An interesting read that I'm glad to have discovered. I'll definitely be seeking out more by this author.

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I’m interested in true crime and the psychology of crime so was interested in reading this book.

From the outset, it’s clear the author has a lot of experience as a forensic psychologist, and has worked with criminals and the police for many years.

All the cases focused on are American as that’s where the author lives and works. Some of the cases are well known, e.g. O. J. Simpson but not every one is a famous case. The author is drawing on his experiences which gives a more authentic feel to the book.

It’s quite readable and interesting. There were some words where I was unsure of the meaning and when I looked them up I felt the word used was a bit unnecessary.

Overall, if you’re a fan of true crime and psychology I would recommend this book.

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Very insightful look into the world of the forensic psychologist and some of the huge high profile cases of murder and terrorism

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Having read some of the works of Robert Ressler and John Douglas, I was instantly attracted to the premise of Born Killers?

Here, in a very matter-of-fact/call it as it is tone, Dr Kris Mohandie talks about several types of criminal minds: serial killers, violent true believers, mass shooters, stalkers, and even false victims; and the structures that allow them to operate: lack of more stringent gun control laws, failures in mental healthcare, and a culture that emphasises “instant gratification and notoriety.”

This is a very informative book that refuses to glorify criminal behaviour and is committed to respect the victims of such acts. Having first-hand experience on the matter, Dr Mohandie is able to elucidate some of the causes that may lead to criminal behaviour, while not allowing these to be used as excuses. He also provides his own suggestions on how to manage threat, even if he is aware that most of them require deep political and societal changes.

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An extremely fascinating book covering the world of murderers from a psychological perspective.
Very well written, capturing the imagination, meaning this is a book you won't want to put down.
Based on the authors experiences working with various agencies and police forces such as the FBI and LAPD spanning over thirty years across the USA.
The only slight negative is the authors use of swear words within the text, to me these add nothing and only detract from the otherwise excellent work.
Fantastic book, highly recommended.

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Much of the book is the author's own personal thoughts on American culture. A lot of comments are quite political. I found that the description of the book did not meet the content unfortunately. It gives off a perception of the description of murders in their mind but I found this was not the case. Maybe a change in description and title would be helpful.

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This is a great book, a good one so well written and interesting and it made me want to read more from Dr Kris Mohandie!

5 stars

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As a part time student of criminal psychology and someone who has always been fascinated with the subject, I have read a lot of books on true crime and the psyche of criminals.
I can honestly say that this is the best one.
Thorough, detailed, fascinating and hugely informative, this was a book that I could not put down.
A must-read for fans of true crime everywhere, particularly those with a specific interest in Psychology.
Truly brilliant.
A very rare 5 stars from me.

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Although focused mainly on American cases, this was an interesting whistle-stop tour through different types of killers, including serial killers and high school shooters. Cases were described and suggestions for motivation were given and the psychological perspectives explained. Thoroughly worth a read!

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The first part of this book where the author writes about his time with the LAPD is weirdly defensive which is off-putting because I'd expect a mental health professional to have a bit more insight into why people might be critical of the forces approach to complex situations.

There are some interesting case studies and a sense of the author's own development as his career progresses but on the whole, I found this an awkward book to read, there is an absence at its heart.

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Dr Kris gives us the reader a great insight into his 30-year career with analysis of infamous USA cases of hostage-takers, serial killers, mass murderers, violent 'true-believers', terrorists, and some of the worst criminals in recent modern history. Each chapter dives deep into the psychology of the criminal, including socio, political, and culture influences, the relevant litigation, and cases that Dr Kris had personal insight in. A highly intelligent and addictive read, this is a must for any budding criminal psychologist, true crime fan, or Netflix crime series obsessive, like my good self!
DR Kris has appeared on CBS, CNN, BBC, and hosted the investigative discovery shows Most Evil and Breaking Homicide

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This is a fascinating read from someone who has seen the dark side of our society and tries not only to understand it but to treat it. This book evaluates a number of known cases over the years as well as people he has met and dealt with in his career and is a really interesting read.

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I'm a psychotherapist in real life and very interested in forensic psychology. Whilst there is no doubting Dr Kris Mohandie's clinical expertise, his writing style is quite dry and academic and I just found it not very compelling. I think if you have no professional interest in the field you may find this book quite hard going, I certainly did.

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